Abstract:

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different levels of corn oil and magnesium (Mg) in the diet of quails on performance and some blood parameters. One hundred and twenty 10-day-old healthy Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix Japanica) according to their initial body weights were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups, 3 replicates of 10 birds each. The birds until 40thsupplemented with either two levels of corn oil (3 and 6%) or two levels (300 and 600 ppm) of Mg (MgSO4). Neither corn oil nor Mg itself resulted in changes in feed intake (P ≥ 0.40), final weights (P ≥ 0.23), and feed conversion ratio (P ≥ 0.22). Diet containing high corn oil with greater dietary Mg concentrations resulted in greater final body weights (P= 0. 4, interaction) and feed conversion ratio (P= 0.02, interaction). Adding corn oil or Mg to diets of quails resulted in no changes in serum concentrations of Ca and triglycerides (P≥ 0.26) but increased the serum concentrations of Mg (P≤ 0.02). Results of the present study suggested that greater dietary Mg concentrations than that of National Research Council (NRC) suggestions should be included when the diet of quails contains greater levels of corn oil

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